HC Deb 10 December 1982 vol 33 cc637-8W
Mrs. Shirley Williams

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the estimated annual cost of providing the long-term supplementary benefit rate to people unemployed for over one year; and what would be the cost if the long-term benefit were restricted to unemployed people with dependent children.

Mr. Newton

[pursuant to his reply, 6 December 1982, c. 389]: Unemployed men aged 60 or over already receive the long-term scale rate after they have been in receipt of supplementary benefit at the ordinary rate for one year. If this provision were extended to all unemployed claimants the estimated additional annual cost at November 1982 benefit rates would be £325 million. If the extension were restricted to unemployed claimants with dependent children the cost would be £150 million.

United Kingdom trade in containers of sheet or plate iron and steel 1979–82 (value £ thousand)
1979 1980 1981 1982 (January-August)
tonnes value tonnes value tonnes value tonnes value
Containers for the conveyance or packing of goods
(1) Of capacity greater than 50 litres
(a) Casks and drums
Total imports cif 770 603 3,279 2,212 1,108 954 470 626
of which originating in:
United Kingdom 29 13 238 343 404 320 111 190
Netherlands 69 49 613 383 79 65 126 173
France 167 107 328 201 121 124 81 68
Denmark 94 139 11 5 114 121 53 58
Federal Republic of Germany 67 73 1,013 541 96 87 48 45
Irish Republic 49 23 290 202 190 133 15 27
Belgium-Luxembourg 174 87 480 260 21 8 17 22
United States of America 41 72 70 104 6 9 6 11
Switzerland 166 119 22 35 5 10
Other 81 42 69 54 55 53 10 21
Total exports fob 3,528 3,073 3,932 2,526 *1,116 *815 1,124 932
(b)Boxes and containers
Total imports cif 579 513 3,030 1,826 1,618 1,080 418 257
of which originating in:

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of putting all unemployed persons between 16 and 60 years on ordinary unemployment benefits regardless of the length of such unemployment in respect of (a) males and (b) females; and what would be the difference to the tax yield as a result.

Mr. Rossi

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1982, c. 278]: It is estimated that the net benefit cost in 1982–83 would be:

  1. (a) about £160 million; and
  2. (b) about £250 million.

The extra tax yield in 1982–83 would be about £25 million and £10 million respectively.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of putting every unemployed person aged between 60 and 65 years on long-term rates of benefit.

Mr. Rossi

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1982, c. 278]: About £220 million.

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